


Too Quiet

by frogs_of_war



Series: Complex [3]
Category: Wizarding World - Fandom
Genre: Established Relationship, Family, M/M, Multi, adding a third (and forth)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-18 17:25:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10621638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frogs_of_war/pseuds/frogs_of_war
Summary: Salathiel life isn't how they expected it would be





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Salathiel and Cunobelinus both use the singular they pronoun

Salathiel looked into his full living room feeling lonelier than ever. His son’s Mate had had his kittens on Salathiel bedspread to save the plush carpets. And those kittens’ other parent was now his son’s lover.

Why did that work for Hezekiel and not for Salathiel? Why was their son, after having done so many stupid things and even brought scholars of the law and religion down on his head, why was their son happy?

Hezekiel laughed and his lover, Steele, kissed him. Dal, Hezekiel’s Mate, changed from his cat form to his man form—naked of course—and sat on his husband’s lap. Steele held him close. Dal rubbed himself against Steele and said something that made Steele and Hezekiel laugh. Penelope, Hezekiel’s other Mate, added something. Steele groaned. Hezekiel put his arm around Penelope, but his eyes were on Dal. Maybe he wasn’t as happy as he pretended to be. 

The kittens peeped and mewed. The four turned their way and everyone scrambled to give the tiny kittens attention. Dal turned back to a cat and passed out the kittens. The identical twins insisted on being together, so that left Dal free to clean himself and turn back to his man form. He still didn’t put any clothes on.

“He’ll let you hold one if you ask.” Cunobelinus put their hand on Salathiel’s shoulder.

Salathiel shrugged them off. “I should see to our other guests.”

“Aleš and Jonáš are hiding under our bed.”

Salathiel bit their lip. “The house will be quieter soon.”

But the house had been too quiet since Hezekiel left for college. Salathiel didn’t want the house to ever go quiet again.

~~~~~~~

Salathiel got their guests to come into the kitchen by putting fish on a plate and setting it on the floor. They were both so small and graceful and made no noise as they padded across the floor. Aleš and Jonáš hadn’t turned to their man forms since they’d arrived. Dal said they were forced to look human when their master was near, so maybe this was a normal reaction.

But it made talking to them awkward and Salathiel still hadn’t figured out who was striped and who was spotted like their son. They were both shades of blues and greys. Both beautiful. Hezekiel was lucky to have their son fall for him and stupid for losing him. 

“Dal is alone in the living room with just the kittens. I’m sure he’d like to see you.”

The striped cat blinked at them. They’d done something wrong. Salathiel closed their eyes. “I’m sorry. I’ll mind my own business.”

The striped tabby rubbed against their leg, walked around them, then rose on his back legs, his front paws resting against Salathiel’s calf. “Meow.”

Salathiel was petting the pretty cat before they could stop themself. They pulled their hand back. “Sorry.”

The striped tabby rubbed them again, but Salathiel held themself back. One didn’t just touch another being. They hurried to the couch and squeezed their hands together. Too bad Cunobelinus wasn’t home. They could have a nice fight and maybe some makeup sex. Salathiel and Cunobelinus only really got on in bed, where the power flowed between them and all the little things that added to a mountain of hurts and resentment didn’t matter so much.

Dal watched them for a moment before closing his eyes again. Raising a young one was tiring even if you had help. Four must be worse. But Dal’s husband was always quick to lend a hand and Hezekiel had grown up a lot in the last few months, and Penelope, as Dal’s friend, came popping in every few days to give the little ones attention.

If only Salathiel had had that much help with Hezekiel. 

The striped tabby hopped onto the couch beside them, making use of the stool Cunobelinus had found somewhere. The spotted cat put his nose against Dal and inspected the kittens. He and Dal were probably talking in the quiet way Dal had with Steele and Hezekiel.

“Meow.” The striped tabby rubbed against Salathiel’s arm. He looked towards Dal and climbed into Salathiel’s lap. “Meow?” 

Dal moved away from his children and switched to his man body. “He’s going to bite you.”

“What?”

Sharp teeth bit into the flesh of Salathiel’s hand. They pulled their hand against their chest and brought the small cat with them. The little cat let go and set about licking the wound. He rose up on his back paws and demanded Salathiel set their hand on their lap, so he could finish cleaning it properly.

Salathiel obeyed. They looked at Dal. “I don’t understand.”

“Meow. Meeeow. Mew,” the striped tabby demanded. 

Salathiel lifted their unhurt hand and petted the pretty cat. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand you.”

Dal and the striped tabby looked at each other again. Dal sighed. “Tati wants you to pet him.”

“I am petting him.” Although Salathiel didn’t know why they were doing it. “I don’t think I should though.”

“He wants you to.” Dal pulled on the shirt and shorts he’d left by one of the thousand year old end tables Salathiel parents had given them as a wedding present. “It will make it easier.”

“Make what easier?” Salathiel was a stranger in their own home.

Dal moved one of his babies back to its siblings. “You’ll need to drink his blood.”

Salathiel pulled their hands back and lifted them over their head. “I can’t do that.”

They’d only ever tasted Cunobelinus’s blood.

Dal closed his eyes. “It isn’t that hard. But it has to be done.”

“I can’t.”

The striped tabby dug in his claws. Salathiel jumped to their feet and rubbed the sore spot. Those tiny claws were sharp. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

The striped tabby didn’t look like he was hurt, even after that great of a fall. 

“It’s not that hard.” Dal sounded so reasonable. “Tati will cut himself and you lick the paw. Easy. Hez and I managed it.”

“You did? But why?” Salathiel stared at the striped tabby.

“Once you share blood, you will be able to hear Tati in your head.” Dal bit his bottom lip. “Tati and Ocko have noticed how uncomfortable you are when I’m furless and naked. They don’t want to upset you each time they have a question or need.”

“I see.” Salathiel closed their eyes. They didn’t want to see their expressions. “But I still can’t.”

“Why?” The voice was soft and small, like a child’s but also not. The man was even smaller than Dal and perfect in every way. The striped tabby was sitting in his lap, covering the important bits. Salathiel was just as disturbed as when Dal walked around naked, but for an entirely different reason. They quickly closed their eyes. 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t.” The tears were coming now. They couldn’t stop them.

Warm bodies twisted around their legs and a soft hand touched their elbow. “You don’t want to talk to Tati and Ocko? Should they go?”

“No!” Salathiel got a hold of themself and looked at the cats at their feet. “Do you have some place else you want to be? I don’t want to keep you against your wills.”

The striped tabby meowed several times. It was important, whatever it was.

“No,” Dal’s eyes filled with tears. “They were both born in the demon realms and they are scared enough as it is. They want to live here, but you don’t seem to want them.”

Salathiel hurried to the table and got a tissue for Dal, then decided to take the whole box. They handed the box to Dal and used the first tissue to dab their own cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

“Then let Tati talk to you. Taste his blood.”

Salathiel took a deep breath, closed their eyes then opened them. “I can’t taste your blood, not because I don’t want to talk to you, but because I’ll fall in love with you. Sometimes I get so mad at Cunobelinus that sipping his blood is the only way I’ll ever love him again.”

And he wanted to love Cunobelinus so much. Sometimes he just couldn’t.

“I think that only works if you’re Mates.” But Dal didn’t look certain.

Salathiel wiped their face with the last good parts of the tissue. “What would I tell Cunobelinus? I’m sorry I feel in love with someone else, who I don’t even know the name of. Could be Aleš, could be Jonáš. I don’t know.”

“Tati’s name is Jonáš.” Dal pointed to the striped tabby. “And Ocko is Aleš. Ocko is my carrying parent.”

“Thank you.” Salathiel swallowed down their fear. They got to their knees. “I’m glad you’re staying with us. Jonáš, Aleš. I’m glad we found you.”

Dal got out a new tissue and wiped his cheeks. “The master was trying to force a new baby on Ocko. He couldn’t get Ocko with his own baby, so he brought in a bigger cat. Bobcat sized. The master wanted him to die, then he was going to force a baby on Tati.”

The tears flowed faster than Dal’s tissue could soak them up. Salathiel had heard much of the sordid tale from Cunobelinus the night Professor Onesimus knocked on their door. They had already left to tell Dal his parents were rescued and found him in labor. Everything had happened quickly after that, but it was lucky for all of them that the large cat was a spy sent in to find Dal’s parents.

Salathiel wrapped an arm around Dal’s shoulder. “I’m sorry we couldn’t have found them sooner.”

Suddenly they had their arms full of son-in-law. They kissed his head. “My sweet, I’m glad we brought them home.”

“But then why won’t you sip their blood? The master could hear them but never listened no matter how much we begged.” Dal swallowed hard. “You would listen, but you refuse.”

He pushed Salathiel away. “You could help them but you won’t. You’re as bad as he was.”

Then he ran off down the hall. The spotted cat followed him, looking back at Salathiel like this was all their fault. 

It was their fault. Their fault the kittens were mewing too. They got on the floor and put the kittens in their lap. The striped tabby just watched. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry you feel you weren’t welcome. I’m a horrible Mate. I can’t love Cunobelinus like I’m supposed to. Before I fall in love with someone else, I should ask Cunobelinus. At least I can do that.” They took a deep breath and looked down at their not quite grandchildren. Jonáš put his front paws on Salathiel leg and watched the kittens.

“The funny thing is,” Salathiel picked up the kitten who looked most like Steele did the one time Salathiel had seen him in porcupine form. “Cunobelinus is going to tell me to go for it; they won’t see a problem.”

They leaned back against the couch. Jonáš climbed onto Salathiel’s leg and put his paws against Salathiel’s chest. 

Salathiel put their face down so Jonáš could sniff it. “I can see you won’t care if I fall in love with you.”

The spotted cat—Aleš returned without Dal. Salathiel held out their fingers. “You want a bite too?”

Aleš sniffed their fingers, licked them, then took a delicate chunk out of one. Only the babies on their lap kept them still. “Such sharp teeth you have, my dear.”

Aleš delicately licked their blood. His small tongue was just the right amount of raspy to make Salathiel glad his tunic covered his lap. Aleš looked up with his big eyes.

“You can hear my thoughts, can’t you? Like I’ll hear yours? I’ll try to keep my thoughts clean.”

Jonáš butted them in the chest.

“You don’t want me to keep my thoughts pure?” Where had that though come from? Salathiel covered their mouth. “Oops.”

How were they going to survive until Cunobelinus got home?


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Salathiel gets what they want and find it was exactly the wrong thing.

Cunobelinus, of course, thought the bites were a great idea. They washed their hands before they presented them, which showed greater manners than Salathiel had, and licked the little paws. Salathiel was still uneasy. 

“Could I… Could you please.” Salathiel swallowed hard. “Would you switch to your human form and let me do the cutting?”

Cunobelinus frowned. “Jonáš wants to know why.”

Salathiel swallowed again. “I’ve seen Aleš,” for a few seconds, “but not Jonáš.” If Salathiel was going to fall in love with him, they should know what he looked like. “And if I make the cut, I can heal it completely.”

Jonáš shifted and as he was already in Salathiel lap, Salathiel really didn’t know where to look. Jonáš was beautiful, of course, all pale skin and dark hair with the hint of a happy trail Salathiel refused to follow. He was still acting like a cat, rubbing himself on Salathiel. That tunic was really coming in handy.

Salathiel took Jonáš’s hand and shifted just their mouth. He carefully cut the pad of Jonáš’s index finger, then shifted their mouth back and sucked. The blood was warm. Warmer than it should have been. Salathiel felt the few drops fill his mouth, flow down his throat, and settle in his belly.

Magic.

Jonáš wrapped his arms around Salathiel’s neck and kissed him as if his life depended on it. He leaned back with a sigh. “So good.”

He shifted back to cat. _You are ours now. Aleš._

And Aleš filled Salathiel lap. He had even less body hair than Jonáš. His eyes were a paler blue. He didn’t move about as much, but he opened himself up much more. Salathiel took his hand clinically and carefully took his blood. This felt just like Jonáš’s had. 

It was all too much.

They took the kiss and carefully placed Aleš back on the floor. Cunobelinus put on a fake frown. “What about my kiss?”

The two familiars piled on Cunobelinus. Salathiel made their escape. Their eyes were too full of tears to see straight. Second eyelids helped, but not much. The bedroom wasn’t good enough. Salathiel locked the bathroom door and started the shower. They pull off their clothes and scrubbed hard, but the dirty feeling wouldn’t go away. 

Sobs roared from them. They tried to keep them quieter than the pounding water, but they weren’t sure they succeeded. Jonáš and Aleš had just escaped from a terrible abuser. Salathiel knew what being having a baby forced on one meant. Jonáš’s kiss was friendly, but Aleš… Aleš was so used to being hurt, the only life he’d ever known… He opened up for Salathiel because he expected that’s what Salathiel wanted and he was right.

Salathiel was no better than their “master” no better than the one who’d hurt them so badly for so long. Salathiel wiped the tears away and stuck their head under the shower. They’d never be clean again.

~~~~~

Salathiel left the bathroom when they were calm enough to fake it. They had to be careful because Jonáš and Aleš could hear them now, hear their thoughts.

Cunobelinus lay on the bed, their eyes closed. They were too still to truly be asleep, but they knew Salathiel enough to pretend. Two soft whispers ticked in their mind. They shut them out as best they could as they climbed into bed.

They were wearing their ‘angry pjs’ as Cunobelinus called them. The heavy fabric was the opposite of sexy. Salathiel wore it when they didn’t want to be touched. The unhappy side effect of all that cloth was that Salathiel got hot and slept badly, making them even more upset come morning, but the pjs were the only armor Salathiel had.

They cuddled with a pillow against their stomach. Here in the dark, all the bad thoughts returned. Why had they been so cruel to Hezekiel that night, saying that they always hated to cook? Salathiel had loved to cook for their little one, loved to know that with each bite their child grew stronger and bigger. Only the best for Hezekiel.

It was only later, when no help came from Cunobelinus, when they knew no help would ever come… the love had turned to resentment. Cunobelinus was handsome, they were brilliant, a leader in their field, but the dedication to spellwork above all else meant Salathiel would always come second and once Hezekiel was born Salathiel became third or even lower.

They had left their home and family, left familiar surroundings and people who looked like them, to live among people who stopped and stared, who turned away rather than speak to them, who thought their little boy was less than perfect.

The tears returned. Cunobelinus’s hand came close, but didn’t quite touch them. Salathiel turned away. Sympathy wouldn’t help them now. 

Small feet walked up Salathiel shoulder. They rolled onto their front, but the small bodies just settled onto their back and started purring.

Jonáš and Aleš were warm and purring took the tension from them. Cunobelinus’s fingers ran down their neck and back up in a lovely rhythm. Salathiel let it take them to sleep.

~~~~~~~

The tears were gone by morning. Salathiel could do this. They could do anything they put their mind to. Friendly, that was the goal.

Salathiel got up before the others and made breakfast. He put Jonáš and Aleš’s on the floor because he couldn’t handle them in their man forms.

Steele and Dal were already up, kittens being kittens. Steele chatted away in his usual way, ate his breakfast, kissed his husband, and left for work. Salathiel and Cunobelinus were paying for his transit pass to the university from the demon realms. The least they could do since they insisted that the kittens stay until their eyes opened. 

And since Dal’s fathers were here, neither Dal nor Steele protested.

Dal came in next, ate his breakfast and then moved his kittens from the Hezekiel’s room into the living room. Dal might not be willing to sleep with his Mate, but he was willing to sleep in his bed. Penelope had laughed at that and asked him who he thought would hold out longer: Dal not having sex with Hez or Steele refusing to father a child with her.

Salathiel’s money was on Dal giving in first. If they had money on anything. They’d seen the way Dal and Hezekiel looked at each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking. And they’d seen the way Steel looked at Penelope.

Cunobelinus was sure a spell would be available by the time Penelope graduated that would allow a child without Steele having to lay with her. They were probably working on it right now. But Hezekiel would get his wish for Dal to be a real Mate again before that even if they only ever touched each other when Steel was with them.

If only Salathiel was so lucky, having a lover who helped them love Cunobelinus as much as they deserved.

Jonáš came into the kitchen. Salathiel turned to do the dishes. Cunobelinus breezed in and kissed Salathiel’s cheek. “I’m so close. I’m sure it’s going to be today. I’ll come home early to celebrate.”

Salathiel wished them luck and made sure they had something to eat, but their hopes weren’t up. So close could mean two hours, two days, or even two months of hard work. Cunobelinus would probably come home late tonight if at all.

Salathiel had a job as well, but they weren’t going in with guests in the house. Besides it could be done at home. Only Salathiel hadn’t even touched it since the chaos of the kittens. Today was a good day to at least look it over.

Salathiel turned from the sink. Jonáš and Aleš were staring at them. Salathiel ignore it. “I’ve got some work to do today. If you need me, I’ll be in the guest room.”

But Salathiel couldn’t concentrate. An hour went by and another. Salathiel was staring a blank sheet of paper.

_Do you hate us?_ Jonáš was on the bed.

“No.” Salathiel turned firmly around.

_Do you hate just me?_ Aleš voice was higher, softer. _I can go. Only let Jonáš stay—_

_No!_

“I don’t hate either one of you.”

_Then why won’t you look at us._

Salathiel covered their face. “I don’t like myself right now. I’ll get better. Just give me time.”

_But we are the reason._

_I am the reason._ Aleš brushed against Salathiel’s leg. _You were fine and then you weren’t._

“I was trying to be fine.”

_But you looked at me and…_ His voice was so soft and sad.

“Not your fault. I can control myself.”

Tiny Aleš set his paws against Salathiel calf. _How can it not be me?_

Salathiel’s hand was petting him before Salathiel could even think about it. It was all right as long as they looked like cats.

_What is all right?_ Jonáš plopped onto the floor beside Aleš.

Salathiel took a deep breath. “I wish Cunobelinus was here.”

_They said it was their fault you were unhappy. They said maybe if they left we could make you happy._

Stupid Cunobelinus. “I’ll never be happy without Cunobelinus.” Only half the truth. “I just can’t seem to be happy with them either.”

_So they did something? When they asked us to kiss them too?_

That had been beautiful, two pretty little things on his husband’s lap.

“No. It’s just me.”

Jonáš jumped onto the desk. _Just you how?_

“I don’t know what you want from me.” Salathiel brought his face down to Jonáš’s. “A home? You have that as long as you wish. This can be your room. I can make an office for myself in the living room. Safety? You have that here. The one who imprisoned you has been imprisoned himself and I doubt he will live to see freedom. Food? I can cook.”

_We cook too._ Aleš leapt into their lap. _Jonáš makes good food._

“We’ll have to get you clothes first.” They had some, but the only clothes they could find in Jonáš and Aleš sizes were made for children and weren’t meant for adult shaped people. And the familiars hadn’t been in man form long enough to measure them.

Not that Salathiel would trust themself with a measuring tape. Maybe make them measure each other.

_You don’t like the way we look._ Aleš voice was sad again.

Salathiel laughed. “You must not be listening to me very well. I think you both are beautiful.”

_Then why…?_

“I don’t want to be offered sex in exchange for doing something I would do anyway. In exchange for doing anything.”

The familiars looked at each other and back at Salathiel. 

“I can’t, in my own mind, be like the one who held you for so long, who expected sexual favorers, who used you. I just can’t. I should never have asked you to switch to your human forms, then none of this would have happened until I was in love with you.”

_Are you in love with us?_ Jonáš rubbed Salathiel’s cheek with his own.

Salathiel leaned back and searched his heart. “Not yet, but I can feel the tug.”

_Then we will talk about this later._

That was as much as Salathiel could hope for


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Salathiel's trash is the familiars' treasure.

Steele kissed Dal’s hand as he stepped away. “Would you like me to bring your sewing stuff tonight? You have that shirt you wanted to finish.”

Dal’s eyes twinkled. “Please.”

Steele stepped closer and kissed his husband again.

“You make your own clothes?”

Dal laughed and pushed his husband away. “Go. And don’t forget my scissors.” He turned to Salathiel. “My fathers taught me. How else would I find anything to fit?”

Salathiel couldn’t believe they hadn’t asked Dal. They hurried down to the linen closet and came out with their arms full of cloth. “Jonáš, Aleš, is any of this fit to wear?”

They both took their man forms. Salathiel hurried back to grab more. The closet was full of stuff Salathiel never used. Cunobelinus’s family had given them hundreds of sheets, some of them antiques. Salathiel hadn’t wanted to use sheets used by generations, no matter how soft they were. He also had a set made from the silk of demon-eating Vashoc spiders. Very exclusive because they couldn’t be tamed and the only way to harvest the silk was to bait them with huge Mountain Buffalo. After the buffalo was caught and sucked dry, the harvesters then had to hold off the spiders while they made off with the web sack. Vashoc silk cut off the web sack was not worth as much, even though the threads were each yards long.

Salathiel dug out the silk set and found a thick tablecloth of the same fabric. Where had that come from? A wedding present? Maybe from one of Cunobelinus’s parents friends. Salathiel family couldn’t have afforded a single napkin let alone sixty. A table runner, long enough to lay across a table set for one hundred, might be useful to the familiars. Salathiel was never going to use any of it.

They carried the silks into the living room. “I’m not sure about the color.”

Jonáš smiled. “We know how to fix that.”

Aleš, with a sheet wrapped around him, ran up to Salathiel and hesitantly reach out a hand.

“For you.” Salathiel handed him the table runner.

Aleš ran across the room, trailing the table runner behind him. He wrapped himself and Jonáš and finally Dal before the end of the table runner slid off Salathiel stack. They sat the rest on the floor. “What do you need now?”

“A tape measure and scissors.” Dal shook his head. “So many pretties.”

Aleš squeezed Salathiel’s hand. “Thank you.”

And Salathiel spent the afternoon walking on air.

~~~~~

Cunobelinus came home with a sewing machine. They got hugs and kisses. Steele had come home over lunch with Dal’s sewing kit, so by dinner Jonáš and Aleš had soft linen robes to wear. Jonáš had pointed eyebrows and Aleš Cupid’s bow lips. Aleš also had an old scar on his wrist. Salathiel wanted to kiss it and tell him he never need wish for death again.

Instead he sat by Aleš when they all went to the living room after dinner and took his hand. Aleš smile up at him and shifted the slightest bit closer. Dal marched in. “I can’t stand sitting here when Steele is with Hez. Cunobelinus, can you take me? Send me a note when they get hungry.”

He handed the kittens out. Salathiel and Aleš got the twins. Aleš slid closer to Salathiel as his kitten tried to get to his twin. Salathiel petted the kittens, who’d both made it to his thigh. “It’s weird that they don’t have real names yet.”

Cunobelinus grinned. “You took forever coming up with Hezekiel’s.”

“That’s because I was waiting for you to help me.”

Aleš squeezed Salathiel’s hand. Salathiel kissed Aleš’s soft fingers. “Thank you, but it doesn’t hurt as much as it used to. I always expected to have a house full of children. Once these leave the house will be too quiet.”

“But you only ever wanted two.” Cunobelinus’s voice carried a world of hurt. Jonáš snuggled next to Cunobelinus and purred. The lines on Cunobelinus face relaxed slightly.

“I’m sorry.” Salathiel refused to cry. “I was trying to hurt you. I wanted many. All I could handle was two.”

Aleš blinked. “Two?”

Cunobelinus smiled, but it didn’t get to their eyes. “I’m just a big baby.”

“I love you.” Salathiel wiped a tear away.

“I know and that makes it worse.” Cunobelinus turned to Jonáš. “Ever thought about another kitten of your own?”

Jonáš licked his lips. “We dreamed of it. Once we were free.”

“You are free now.” Salathiel pushed their sadness away. “And we can easily expand if you end up with a big litter.” Or two, or even three.

Aleš leaned closer against them and the couch shifted, sending the kittens tumbling into the lap of Aleš’s robe. They protested the movement then settled into sleep. 

Dal came back out of Hezekiel’s room. “Cunobelinus? I’m ready.”

Cunobelinus settled Jonáš beside Salathiel and put the other two kittens on his lap. Then kissed Salathiel before they left.

Jonáš leaned against Salathiel. “What was it like raising a demon child?”

And once Salathiel got started telling of his trials and tribulations, they couldn’t stop. Finally, when Cunobelinus came back, Salathiel made themself changed the subject. “And I couldn’t even tell my family because they’d warned me but I hadn’t listened to them. But still raising Dal must have been worse.”

Aleš just shook his head against Salathiel’s arm. Jonáš touched his neck. “Aleš can’t talk about it yet. We were scared all the time. We hadn’t even known each other before I got him with Aleš. We were catnipped up when we met. The master was so disappointed that we only had one—which was good because we were both just children ourselves—we knew he had plans for our child. From the day Dal was born we were trying to get him out.”

Aleš burst into tears. Salathiel held him close. “My sweet kitten.”

They were ready to take the kittens should Aleš take his cat form, but instead Aleš crawled into their lap, kittens and all.

Salathiel petted his hair and kissed the top of his head and did and said all the things that had made Hezekiel calm down as a child. But beautiful Aleš wasn’t a child and his life had been so hard. 

A wave of emotion crashed over Salathiel: hurt, sorrow, pain. Unbelievable pain. Salathiel held Aleš tight. “Cunobelinus, the kittens.” Salathiel was surprised they weren’t mewing in distressed. Cunobelinus scooped all the kittens onto Jonáš’s lap and carried the whole lot over to the big chair. Salathiel tucked Aleš under their chin. “Nothing like that is ever going to happen to you again.”

Aleš tears were hot on Salathiel chest.

“Nothing. You’re safe. I’ll keep you safe. Your body's safe. Your kittens are safe. Should danger some near, I will stand against it.” Then their wings came out. “I am an angel of Retribution. None who hurt me or mine will fail to be punished for their crime.”

They wrapped their wings around themself and Aleš. Jonáš crept close and held out a hand, but didn’t quite touch. “Feathers.”

Salathiel tilted his shoulder into Jonáš small hand sunk into Salathiel’s feathers.

“The most beautiful feathers of all the angels on the most beautiful one among them.” Cunobelinus sighed. “I saw Salathiel for the first time and knew. I was too far away to catch their scent or hear their voice, but I was in love. Took me weeks of pursuit to convince Salathiel I was serious. Weeks more for them to agree they felt the same.”

Salathiel looked out their wings at their husband.

Cunobelinus smiled. “Worth every minute even on the worst days. Salathiel, I love you.”

Salathiel blew them a kiss, and after Dal returned and everyone went to bed, Salathiel reminded Cunobelinus of the best days.

~~~~~~

Clothes meant Jonáš and Aleš could travel. Cunobelinus took them to the best shops to get anything they wanted. They got kisses for that and more after Cunobelinus and Salathiel finally convinced the familiars that they didn’t care what they wore. The cloth and patterns and buttons and dye were for their own pleasure, not that of their hosts.

Salathiel had had to cry in the shower again after that.

But a day came when Cunobelinus was at work and Aleš needed one last thing to finish an outfit, so Salathiel put on their happy face and took the two out. The three together got treated a little worse than Salathiel did alone. Salathiel could deal with it, but Aleš and Jonáš were looking more and more scared. When one idiot touched Aleš hair, Salathiel lost it, spread his wings and used his angel voice on the reprobate causing the demon to melt into the floor, which all would have been embarrassing if they hadn’t been so angry.

They whisk the familiars home and had to pace the hall until they got themself under control. Then they went to see if their guests were all right.

Jonáš blinked. __Why don’t you defend yourself?__

Salathiel just shook their head. Time to make lunch.

__You could, you know__.

“It isn’t worth it.”

_If it isn’t worth it to save yourself, why save us?_

_Because of what happened to us?_ Aleš’s voice was so soft.

“No.” Salathiel sat on the kitchen floor. “Were you anyone I cared for as much as I care for you two, I would save you.”

_And the demon… who melted?_ Jonáš jumped into Salathiel’s lap.

“They’ll be able to reconstitute themself, eventually. It wasn’t permanent. But they’ll never forget it.”

Jonáš and Aleš cuddled in their lap and talk turned to nicer things. They still hadn’t got what Aleš was after, so Salathiel sent them off with Cunobelinus. They came back with beautiful buttons and talked over themselves about a new spell Cunobelinus was working on which would enable a familiar to be clothed while in human form, unencumbered with them while in animal form, and clothed again when changing back.

Cunobelinus was not so happy. They waited until Jonáš and Aleš had run off to the guest room to finish their sewing, then fixed Salathiel with a glare. “Why didn’t you tell me people were rude to you?”

Salathiel shrugged and went back to cooking dinner. “Does it matter?”

“Of course it matters.” Cunobelinus leaned their back against the counter and crossed their arms. “Why wouldn’t it matter?”

“You were the one who moved me here. With so many demon realms and all the places in this one, you moved me to a place where I can go years—decades without seeing another angel.”

“What?”

“Look around, when was the last angel you saw?”

“Today, at work. I have three in my office.”

Salathiel carefully set the knife down and covered their face. They took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh. “Really?”

They picked up the knife again and finished chopping the potatoes. They were a stranger in their home, but comfort seemed only a commute away. “So why did you move us here?”

“I grew up here.”

Salathiel leveled a stare at them.

Cunobelinus sighed. “You wouldn’t have wanted to live in that old neighborhood.”

Cunobelinus family had gone through ups and downs over the millennia, but any family that old had class. They couldn’t help themselves. “So this was the only option?”

“What’s wrong with it here? Besides lack of angels.”

Salathiel knew Cunobelinus didn’t see angels as any different from other demons, which was an accomplishment considering the environment he was raised in. “You really don’t see it, do you?”

“See what?”

Salathiel stepped away from the counter. “How many times have I had to come ask you to pay for something?”

“You don’t like to pay.”

“They won’t take my money! ‘Does your spouse know you’re buying that?’ ‘Where does someone like you get that kind of money?’ ‘Let me call Cunobelinus and see if they’re all right spending their money like that.’”

“No.”

Salathiel took in a deep breath and counted to ten as they breathed out. “That’s why I leave the paying to you. Remember our first anniversary where you knew what my gift was before you even got home? That’s why all your anniversary gifts are now shipped here.”

“You’re an angel of retribution. Why do you put up with that?”

“At _home_.” Salathiel took satisfaction in Cunobelinus flinch. “It’s considered rude to use one’s powers against something as low as an insult. Otherwise I’d have my wings out all the time.”

Cunobelinus bit his lips. Now was the time to stop and let Cunobelinus think, but Salathiel just couldn’t help themself. “And it’s not like I could melt your parents into the floor.”

“My parents?” Cunobelinus frowned, then he shed his human skin. “My parents have done nothing to you!”

“Exactly.” Salathiel smiled. He loved Cunobelinus, but right now he loved hurting him more. Just a piece, a small piece of how Salathiel felt. “They don’t talk to me unless you’re standing right there. And I’ve been to all your siblings’ wedding. I’ve seen what your parents gave them. We got the weird colored stuff no one wanted.”

“Of all the—”

“And Hezekiel’s graduation. My parents rearranged their vacations to be there, but yours couldn’t find the time. Not that I expected it because they hadn’t found the time for any of his birthdays.”

“They were at his first.”

“That’s because you held it at their house.”

Cunobelinus bit their lips again. They held up a hand. “Your parents don’t always come either.”

“My parents both have jobs, whereas yours just have hobbies and don’t tell me I’m wrong because I’ve heard them gloat about it before.”

“They weren’t gloating.”

Salathiel patted Cunobelinus’s arm. “Think whatever makes you feel better. My parents have never once forgotten Hezekiel’s birthday.”

“My parents took him for a whole month. He loved it there.”

“And he came home with a gender and several other bad habits that took me months to break him of.”

“Gender isn’t a bad habit.”

Salathiel went back to cooking. “Would you like a discussion about why there is a gender disparity in a land where genders can be chosen, where among a people who can chose what their bodies look like, most of them chose the same one? Or would you like to set the table?”

Cunobelinus set the table. Aleš came in and showed off his finished outfit, which was a loose tunic with frog closures going up the right side and looser trousers. The fabric had started out a funky orange, but with the help of dye and bleach the color moved from red to orange to yellow, like a Phoenix.

Salathiel pulled him close and kissed him without really thinking about it. Then Jonáš was in his arms, all in shades of blue. After a kiss, Salathiel stepped back and walked around him. “What did you make that out of?”

It was a robe of some kind, tight and loose, skimming his body in a way that both concealed and revealed everything. “It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.”

Jonáš smirked at them. “You like it?”

He swayed side to side. That robe had a life of its own.

“I made it out of that table runner.” Jonáš lifted the hem and held it up to Salathiel. Salathiel got on his knees to take it. It was many tiny shapes, all different colors of blue, sewn together into magic. Salathiel also got quite the view of Jonáš pretty ankles and they were magic as well.

They stood up, ignoring the tent in their pants. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

Jonáš rubbed up against them. “I sure am hungry.”

They stepped away. “Food first.”

Jonáš laughed. And when the four sat down to dinner, everyone was laughing and joking with each other, the earlier argument forgotten.


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Salathiel has a wonderful evening

After the dinner dishes were washed, Aleš snuggled up to Salathiel. “We made pajamas, so we can sleep beside you.”

“That’s what the buttons were for.” Jonáš nodded. “We’ll go put them on.”

Cunobelinus laughed and put their hand around Salathiel waist. “They shouldn’t be the only ones in pjs.”

So as early as it was Salathiel showered and changed into comfy pajamas. Cunobelinus kissed them when they walked out of the bathroom and traded places with them. Cunobelinus normally showered in the morning, which was part of why Salathiel did at night, but maybe they’d had a sweaty afternoon.

The familiars were sitting at the foot of the bed. They both got up and pulled Salathiel forward. Jonáš jumped onto the bed. “We want to see your wings again.”

Salathiel obliged. Aleš touched a flight feather. “You didn’t have to take your shirt off.”

“Wings are magic. They are a part of us, but can unfurl no matter what we’re wearing. It would be pretty silly if I had to remove my coat, sweater, and shirt before I could be threatening.”

Jonáš grinned. “You aren’t threatening now.”

Salathiel plucked a soft downy feather and tossed it Jonáš’s way. He batted at it. He couldn’t seem to help himself. He jumped on the bed to follow it and keep it in the air.

Aleš rubbed up against Salathiel. “Can you take your shirt off without putting your wings away?”

Salathiel gut clinched. They knew where this was going and they really wanted it. And why shouldn’t they? Aleš and Jonáš had lived with them for two months now. They knew Salathiel and Cunobelinus wouldn’t demand anything of them, and judging by Aleš's little smile, he’d wanted to ask for ages.

Salathiel grinned back. “Do you want to help?”

“Yes!”

With the help of two eager familiars, taking off Salathiel’s pajama top took twice as long, but was much more fun. Then Salathiel flapped their wings once to make that downy feather dance because watching Jonáš bat at it was fun too.

Aleš laid his head on Salathiel lap. Salathiel petted his beautiful hair. “You’d be more comfortable on the bed.”

“But you aren’t on the bed.”

Salathiel dutifully got up and lay down. On Cunobelinus’s side of the bed because Jonáš was on theirs. Aleš snuggled up against him. The pajamas might cover him ankle to wrist to chin, but the silk was thin and felt like less than strands of hair between them. Salathiel spread their wings to get in a better position and suddenly the little feather wasn’t enough for Jonáš. He reached up and grabbed at Salathiel’s wing. 

Salathiel lifted the wing up out of Jonáš’s reach, and when he let his arm sink, Salathiel lowered their wing again. Jonáš made a cute growl in his throat and reached up again.

Aleš turned against Salathiel and watched Jonáš play. Salathiel nuzzled his ear. “Do you want to play too?”

Aleš laughed and pulled Salathiel’s arm around him. “I think I already am.”

Each time Jonáš’s reached up, his night shirt shifted. Soon Salathiel was getting flashes of knee. Then Jonáš bent his knee and the silk slid up his leg. Aleš wiggled his ass against Salathiel’s hips. Yep, they were both playing.

The bathroom door opened and Cunobelinus came out with a towel in his hand and his old ratty silk boxers. The fabric was still good, but one leg needed a new hem and the elastic was going. Salathiel hoped Jonáš or Aleš would ask if they could fix them because Salathiel didn’t want to be the one to “ruin” Cunobelinus’s favorite sleep pants.

Salathiel leaned back in preparation to sit up. Jonáš and Aleš both yowled. Cunobelinus laugh. “Stay there. You three are quite the pretty picture.”

They towel dried their hair. 

But Salathiel was feeling mighty awkward with all the attention. “Cunobelinus has wings too.”

“But mine aren’t soft and fluffy.”

“They’re velvety.” And they felt really nice against sensitive parts of Salathiel.

The familiars both peered at Cunobelinus. They laughed, dropped the towel, and spread their wings. “Did you think something nice about me?”

“He thinks you’re sexy,” Aleš supplied.

Jonáš shifted as he sat up lifting the hem of his nightshirt to the point where his leg met his torso. “And he’s not going to start anything until you’re here.”

Aleš kissed Salathiel’s finger tips. “He’s not going to _start_ anything at all.”

Cunobelinus laughed as they put their wings away and sat down. “Looks like you two already have.”

Jonáš turned onto his stomach and wiggled his ass. “Joining us?”

As stimulating as that was, it did cause his nightshirt to slid back down. Aleš giggled. 

“I’ll watch for a while.” Cunobelinus ran his hand down the front of his shorts. Just because he wasn’t on the bed didn’t mean he wasn’t participating.

Aleš touched Jonáš’s arm. “Salathiel likes us better dressed so he can watch us undress.”

Salathiel kissed Aleš shoulder, which had somehow become exposed. “I like you dressed so I know if you are undressed for me.”

Jonáš wiggled about until his nightshirt’s hem left an ass cheek exposed. “When I’m naked, I’m naked for you.”

He flashed Cunobelinus a smile then crawled over the Salathiel and pushed them onto their back. Salathiel put their wings away, but Jonáš let them know, in no uncertain terms, that the wings stayed. So the wings stayed.

Salathiel lost track of anything put pleasure: the four small hands, two bodies, and Cunobelinus’s soul flowing over Salathiel and through them. Sex with Cunobelinus had always been good, and many times great, but right now Salathiel felt like they could take on the world.

They hung they head off the end of the bed and met Cunobelinus’s eye. “Wow.”

Cunobelinus leaned forward and kissed them. “I agree.”

“The power.”

“They were meant for us, these two. They have to be.” Cunobelinus stroked Aleš’s back and tickled under Jonáš’s chin. They had both turned to their cat forms to sleep off the activity. 

Salathiel preferred to cuddle after sex, in their and their partners’ human forms. But after that ride, how could they complain?

Aleš switched to his human form and draped himself across Salathiel while Jonáš buried his cat face in Salathiel feathers. They kissed Aleš's shoulder. “Sorry, my sweet, I forgot you could hear me. I don’t mind you as a cat.”

Aleš cracked open his eye. “But you weren’t this hard before I turned.”

He rubbed his leg down Salathiel's front.

Salathiel let their head flop off the bed. “I didn’t think I’d ever be hard again.”

Cunobelinus slid their hands under Salathiel and turned them until their head was on a pillow without dislodging Aleš or Jonáš. Salathiel forced their eyes open. “This isn’t my pillow.”

Cunobelinus laughed and climbed on the bed. “I promise not to let you sleep until you’re on your side of the bed.”

And Cunobelinus kept his word.

~~~~~~~

Salathiel woke happier than he could remember being. And warmer despite not wearing a stitch. Cunobelinus had rolled away some time in the night, like always. They got too hot during the night to keep cuddling. But Jonáš was a warm weight at the back of Salathiel’s neck and Aleš a warm line down their body.

Salathiel wiggled out of bed. Aleš switched back to his cat form and curled around Jonáš. There might be a time to talk to Aleš about wearing the body he wanted to, not the one he thought Salathiel wanted, but right now it was just too nice having someone go out of their way to please them.

They got breakfast ready and made plans for the day. It was grandparenting day again. Maybe someday Dal and Steele would move in with Hezekiel, and Salathiel and the others could move close to them, so taking the kittens for the evening wouldn’t be as much effort. Hezekiel and his family needed some time kitten free and Salathiel house was just too quiet without them.

Cunobelinus came up behind Salathiel and held them. They leaned against them. Cunobelinus kissed their cheek. “How would you like to move?”

Salathiel froze. “You’d find us a new place?”

“I proved my inability to see to your needs.”

Salathiel tried to protest, but Cunobelinus shushed them. “Your turn this time. It’s got to have room to expand, not just for this batch of grandchildren. I can’t see Dal waiting more than a year or two for another litter. I’m sure Jonáš and Aleš want a big family. And we need windows that open to a place with fresh air and blue skies. Maybe no door there yet, but enough that Aleš and Jonáš could get used to it. I want their kittens to run about in the grass under the open sky.”

Salathiel turned in their arms. “You’ve put some thought into this.”

Cunobelinus just nodded. Salathiel held them close. “I love you.”

“I don’t deserve it.”

“Yes, you do.”

“If you say so my love.” Cunobelinus kissed Salathiel then stepped back. “I’ll get some broker names from the angels at work. If you’d like.”

“I would.”

Aleš and Jonáš came out in their man forms, wearing more pretty clothes they’d made out of Salathiel ugly wedding linens. They got kisses from each of them and help with breakfast. It was already a wonderful day.

~~~~

After the kittens were asleep, Aleš and Jonáš got Cunobelinus to show off his demon form. Salathiel was cajoled into showing off is angel form. In the nude, for comparison purposes only Aleš and Jonáš insisted, but then they looked at each other and fell into giggles so Salathiel gave them their way.

Aleš wrapped his arms around Salathiel’s waist. “If I had your kittens, would they have wings too?”

Salathiel stepped back to put on his clothes, but at Aleš pout, they stopped with their pants and sat on the couch. Aleš sat on their lap and snuggled back. Salathiel kissed his neck. “You want my babies?” 

Cunobelinus laughed. “Salathiel, don’t look so surprised. All three of us would like to carry your babies.”

Aleš and Jonáš nodded. Aleš tilted his face up so his breath brushed Salathiel cheek. “But would they have wings? Both your forms can have wings? So would our baby have wings in all three forms?”

Our baby. Cunobelinus hadn’t even called Hezekiel that. He’d always been the baby.

“Theories vary, but the general consensus is that exposure in utero is enough to inherit demon abilities, so if the amount of demon magic that went through the two of you last night is any gage, I’m thinking that any child either of you carries will be part demon. Whether the child came from Salathiel’s seed, mine, or either of yours.”

Aleš beamed. Jonáš wrapped himself around Cunobelinus, who had yet to dress themself. “So our babies would have grey wings? Like Hezekiel?”

“We’ll be grey, so that’s for the best.” Aleš leaned against Salathiel “But I did want one all white and ivory.”

“Salathiel,” Cunobelinus said, “why don’t you take him to bed? I’ll stay out here and listen for the kittens until you’re done. I want my chance with this pretty cat, since he never did wake back up last night.”

Jonáš pouted. “I like my sleep.”

Cunobelinus kissed the pout away.

Aleš clung to Salathiel. “You haven’t said if you wanted my baby.”

Salathiel would never want to raise such a child in this neighborhood, but he had an appointment tomorrow to look at a house with Aleš and Jonáš, and with luck they’d been in the new place before Aleš began to show. “I would be please to parent your child.”

Aleš grinned and rubbed himself against Salathiel. They did make it to the bedroom, but barely. Salathiel took their time, but not too long. They didn’t want Cunobelinus to get distracted by the pretty one in their lap. Aleš went to the living room with Salathiel to give Cunobelinus and Jonáš time alone. A while later, Aleš went to join them. Jonáš came out in cat form and curled up in Salathiel’s lap.

Dal, Hezekiel, and Steele arrived just as the kittens woke for their night feeding. Salathiel took the chance to tell them about the move and asked if they’d thought of moving in together. And if they had, whether they’d considered living near Salathiel’s household.

Steele laughed. “Dal says yes. Anything that will get him closer to his parents. My family’s so big that I like a breather between visits, but I wouldn’t mind having help close to hand should I need it.”

He had needed it when Dal had gone into labor. Salathiel shivered just thinking about what could have happened.

Hezekiel crossed his arms. “I’m not sure I’d want to be next door.”

Steele grinned and put his hand on Hezekiel’s thigh. “Salathiel says they want a place with a big backyard and an open sky. What if that place was our backyard too? In the Wizarding world, while their house is in a demon realm. That would work right, Salathiel?”

“And if you wanted to spend the night together.” Salathiel held up their hand to stop Hezekiel’s protest. “Dal, or whoever the feeding parent is, can come feed them, and the other two won’t have to get dressed.”

Jonáš yawned. _Once Aleš has his kittens, he’ll be able to feed whatever kittens happen to be over._

Dal’s head perked up. Hezekiel sent Salathiel a glare. “What are you doing making children with my Mate’s parents?”

“Cunobelinus is pretty sure Aleš and Jonáš are part of our Mating bond. Which reminds me, according to something Cunobelinus said earlier this evening, since magic flowed through your Mating bond, with Steele’s help, while Dal carried the kittens…”

“Yeah?”

“Then those kittens are at least part demon.”

Steele laughed. “Is that how it works? We have stories, old tales, where a child inherits the powers of her mother’s lover, even if the two didn’t get together until just before the child was born. I thought people just couldn’t count.”

Aleš hurried into the living room. His hair was wet and he was back in his day clothes. “Will my grandbabies have wings?”

Cunobelinus rubbed his shoulder. Their hair was dripping, mostly onto the towel around their shoulders. “It’s hard to think of you old enough to have grandbabies.”

_He isn’t_ , said Jonáš and Dal together. Salathiel petted Jonáš’s agitation away. 

Hezekiel got up and looked down at his kittens.

Cunobelinus sopped some of the drips from their hair. “Aleš wonders whether a demon-familiar could wear wings in their cat forms.”

Steele laughed. “Don’t give my kids any ideas.”

Hezekiel picked up the oldest kitten and closed his eyes. He took several deep breaths and grinned. “They’re demons! At least partly. My princess.” He kissed her head and put her back with the others, but she mewed and toddled about until she found him again. He picked her up and cuddled her against his neck. 

Steele wrapped an arm around Hezekiel’s shoulder. “They were always yours too.”

Salathiel looked away from their little moment. Cunobelinus laughed. “This means you can’t put off naming them any longer.”

Hezekiel stuck the index finger of his empty hand in his ear. “I can’t hear you.”

Dal got dressed and stood up. “Hez. We are going back to your place with the kittens.”

“But…”

“Your kittens need to get familiar to your place.”

“But aren’t we moving to get you nearer to the family?”

Steele piled the kittens into their basket. “Hezekiel, you lost this one. But on the other hand, I’m sure my mom will help you with all those names. Demons are named after relatives, aren’t they? I’ve got hundreds of relatives to choose from.”

They left still arguing, but Salathiel was sure Dal would get his way, especially with Steele in his corner.

Salathiel lay back on the couch. He needed to get up and shower. Or maybe not. He wouldn’t mind smelling like Aleš for a little longer. Cunobelinus helped them to their feet. The bed had been remade with new sheets, so Salathiel took the shower. Jonáš joined them partway though. They made sure Jonáš was completely dry and the towels hung up before they opened the bathroom door.

Cunobelinus wasn’t quite asleep. Jonáš jumped onto the bed as a cat and curled up by their neck. Aleš waiting until Salathiel was comfortable to switch to man form and drape himself over them. Salathiel laughed. “Don’t you wear clothes to bed?”

“I used to.” Aleš mumbled against his neck. “But now I’m safe.”

He was safe and he’d always be.

~~~~~

Salathiel sat in window seat, basking in the sun, with Aleš on their lap. They had work to do but none of that mattered. Their job was now more of a hobby. The kittens slept on the sun warmed blankets. Their kittens. One was a striped tabby like Jonáš, one jet back except for a red spot under their neck and at the tip of their tail, and one was white except in the right light when ivory spots glittered. The sun was too bright for that now.

Jonáš mewed. Salathiel swung their leg down so the Jonáš could climb up. He carried a smaller kitten up to join Aleš’s. He had one grey spotted, one striped blue, grey, and white, and one striped like a little white tiger. Six kittens were enough for now. Salathiel had drawn the line at Cunobelinus having another until the kittens were old enough to shift—so Jonáš and Aleš could help care for the baby—or Cunobelinus could guarantee that the familiars in the bond meant the baby, or babies if Cunobelinus had their way, could be raised as kittens the first few weeks. Salathiel was not going to do all the feeding and cleaning and raising alone again.

Jonáš set his last kitten in the pile and crawled onto Salathiel’s lap. Cunobelinus was close to a breakthrough and might not be home tonight, but that didn’t matter. Salathiel had the rest of his family right here.

The sun crossed the sky but still shone in the window. Salathiel should get up and make dinner, but not yet.

Dal trooped his family though the grass, in through the cat door, and up to the window seat. He took his man form, complete with loose shirt and shorts. “I hope you don’t mind.” He placed his wiggly kittens beside the pile. “Steele’s at a bachelor party for a friend of his and he thought it was the perfect time for me to be alone with Hez.”

Salathiel smiled. They were getting to know their sons-in-law better. “And what do you think?”

“I want to just spring on him that one of the next batch is his after I’m carrying them, because I’m sure he’ll freak and get all emotional and we’ll both be crying and Steele won’t be around to hand us tissues.” Dal grinned. “But Steele says I have to give him a choice, so I’m going to wait until I have the lube on him and let him make an informed,” Dal made finger quotes, “decision about where he wants to put it.”

Salathiel tried not to laugh. Dal closed the door quietly and raced back across the field between their houses. Dal’s kittens dozed because who doesn’t like a sunny window?

Salathiel closed their eyes and woke to Jonáš’s and Aleš’s gentle voices in the kitchen and the kittens piled in twos and threes across their legs and belly. Another few minutes and they’d start waking up. Salathiel’s house would never be too quiet again.


End file.
